


Stress Relief

by marmolita



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 19:57:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2201109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolita/pseuds/marmolita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip gets the feeling Archer has something he wants to talk to him about and is nerving himself up to do it, which makes his gut clench because it's usually bad news.  So he's not surprised when Archer sets his glass down carefully -- he's had a good bit to drink, but never drinks enough to be really impaired on the ship -- and clears his throat.</p>
<p>He <i>is</i> surprised at what Archer has to say.  "Doctor Phlox thinks I need to get laid," Archer says, staring into his glass.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stress Relief

**Author's Note:**

> Set early season 3. Semi-spoilers for 2x24 "First Flight." I don't think I need to warn for anything in this one but it does involve a heterosexual man consenting to sex with another man even though he isn't interested in men. So I mean, it's clearly consensual, but ymmv if you're looking for really enthusiastic consent.

They've been in the Expanse for ten weeks. Everyone is on edge, and the Captain has been even more of a dick than usual lately -- Trip can admit to himself that his friend can be a dick sometimes even though he certainly wouldn't say it in front of anyone else. But he must be trying to relax, because after dinner he asks Trip to stay and watch water polo with him. Trip wonders if this is the first water polo match Archer has watched since the attack on Earth.

It's late when the match is over, but they linger over the bottle of brandy Archer's pulled out of his private store. Trip gets the feeling Archer has something he wants to talk to him about and is nerving himself up to do it, which makes his gut clench because it's usually bad news. So he's not surprised when Archer sets his glass down carefully -- he's had a good bit to drink, but never drinks enough to be really impaired on the ship -- and clears his throat.

He _is_ surprised at what Archer has to say. "Doctor Phlox thinks I need to get laid," Archer says, staring into his glass.

Trip raises his eyebrows. "Okay…? If you're looking for a recommendation or something, everyone knows that Crewman Mills has been making long eyes at you since she got on the ship."

"I can't sleep with my crew, Trip -- aside from being against regulation, I'd never know if they did it because they wanted to or because I'm the Captain," Archer says with a sigh.

"Well I don't know who else you're going to find out here." Trip is more and more confused about why Archer is asking him for dating advice. "We haven't exactly been taking shore leave lately."

Archer shifts uncomfortably in his seat and rests one elbow on the table. "We've been friends for a long time, right?"

"Yeah, we have."

"So I know you know the difference between an order and a… a personal request." Trip leans back in his chair, suddenly guessing where this conversation is going but not really ready to believe it until he hears it. "Back a year or so after we first met, there was that one time…"

"Go on."

"I remember you have a really, uh, talented mouth." And there it is, he actually said it, but Trip still can't quite believe it.

"You want me to give you a blow job." It's more a statement than a question, but the expression on Archer's face says the answer is yes. Trip can't help it -- he laughs. He knows it's going to piss Archer off to laugh about it but the whole situation is just so ridiculous. He wonders if someone up the ranks at Starfleet ever sat down and talked about whether they'd send a ship into deep space for long enough that the Captain would have his performance impacted by sexual frustration, and the thought of Admiral Forrest having that conversation just makes him laugh harder.

And he's right, Archer is pissed off. He pushes his chair back from the table and snaps, "You could just say no."

"Wait, wait," Trip says, controlling himself. "I'm sorry Captain, you-- You gotta realize this whole thing is kind of funny. It's not you."

"Look, I hate to even ask you, I knew this was a bad idea--"

"Okay."

Archer is taken off guard and stares at Trip blankly. "What?"

"Okay, I'll do it." Because fuck it, Trip hasn't had sex in a long time either, and the fact is he really doesn't mind at all. Archer is visibly relieved, and Trip sets his glass down and leans forward on the table. "But I have two conditions. First, this isn't a regular thing. That ship sailed years ago." Archer nods at him to continue. "Second, I need some kind of reciprocation."

"I--"

"Hold on, hold on, I'm not done. I know you're not interested in men, so I know you'd give a lousy blow job. But every man knows how to use his hand, so that's all I'm asking. Do you think you can do that much?" Archer has the decency to look embarrassed, since he clearly hadn't thought of reciprocation at all, but he nods in acknowledgement. "Well alright then. Shall we move this somewhere more comfortable or do you want me to go down on you at your dining table?" It's a jab but a gentle one, just enough to try to break Archer out of his discomfort.

"Bed okay?" Archer asks, and while it's kind of sweet that he's as nervous as a virgin it's also an uncomfortable reminder of their early years together, when Trip had actively pursued him until Archer had bluntly shut him down. It had taken Trip a long time to get over that and for their friendship to develop, a friendship that has been strained by the command structure and the stress of recent events.

He follows Archer to the bed, and Archer hesitates, not sure how to proceed. "Relax, Captain," Trip says, "I'm not gonna bite you. Just take your clothes off and sit down." He turns to the side so he's not facing Archer while they strip to help put him at ease. It works, but it's a little strange given that they've stripped down together so many times over the years in non-sexual situations and never had a need for modesty. Trip briefly wonders if this is going to be a problem the next time they're in decon together.

When Archer is naked he sits on the edge of the bed, and Trip is gratified to see that he's half-hard in anticipation. Archer may not be interested in men, but he obviously remembers the one time they did this before -- Archer's girlfriend had dumped him and they'd been drinking, quite a lot. He had been drunkenly lamenting the fact that she had given the best blow jobs, and he'd never have a blow job that good ever again; Trip had said, "Bet you anything I can do better than she ever did," and Archer had been just drunk enough and just horny enough to take him up on it. Clearly he'd made an impression.

Trip kneels between Archer's knees and places his hands on Archer's thighs. "I won't be offended if you close your eyes and pretend it's someone else," he says before he starts. Archer closes his eyes, and Trip licks his lips and swallows him down. It doesn't take long to get him fully erect with his mouth alone, but Trip takes his time. If this is the only sex Archer is going to have for months to help him relax a little it had better be damn good, and Trip doesn't intend to disappoint.

When Archer is breathing fast and his hips start to twitch, Trip backs off to give him a chance to slow it down. He pulls his mouth off and instead licks Archer's dick from base to tip, swirling his tongue around the head before going back down to do it again, over and over. He sucks the head into his mouth and teases at the frenulum with his tongue, just enough to make Archer gasp, then swallows him down again, taking as much of the shaft as he can handle without gagging.

It's been a long time since Trip has had the opportunity to suck a man's dick, and his jaw is out of practice and starting to ache. He switches to his hand for a few strokes to give his mouth a break and take a chance to check in on how Archer is doing. Archer's eyes are still closed, but he's leaning back on his hands, sweat dripping down his face, cheeks flushed; his lips are parted and his fingers are gripping the sheets hard enough that his knuckles are white.

Trip smiles to himself and licks his lips again, shifting his jaw back and forth a couple times to loosen it up. He takes Archer's dick into his mouth but keeps his hand on him as well, bringing it right next to his lips to move in concert with his mouth. Archer is cursing now, breathy and delicious, and Trip twists his hand and flicks his tongue over the head every time he comes up. He can feel the pulse throbbing in the fat vein on the underside of Archer's dick and quickens his pace in time with Archer's accelerated breathing.

Archer gasps something incoherent but it gives Trip enough warning that he's ready and doesn't gag when Archer comes hot and thick into his mouth, so much volume so fast that Trip has to swallow twice before he's done. He waits until Archer starts to get limp, then pulls off and swallows once more, wiping his mouth with the heel of his hand.

Trip is struck by how good Archer looks like this, flushed and sweaty, and he can't help remembering how much he had wanted him all those years ago, the nights he'd lain awake imagining this, and the devastation he'd tried to hide when after waffling about Starfleet protocols and impropriety Archer had finally told him flat out that he wasn't interested in men and Trip was no exception.

But that was years ago, and a lot has changed since then, and right now Trip is hard as a rock and Archer owes him a hand job which he intends to collect on. "As good as you remembered?" he asks, sitting down next to Archer on the bed. Archer opens his eyes with a start, and Trip is glad to see how dazed he looks.

"Better. Fuck. That was amazing, thank you." Archer's cheeks are still red and Trip is pretty sure that while part of it is from the sex, part is just embarrassment. Trip clears his throat and pointedly gives his own dick a few strokes. "Um, I don't know how you want to…" Archer trails off uncomfortably.

"Why don't you sit up at the head of the bed and lean back on the wall, and I'll sit in front of you so it'll be just like jerking yourself off? Well, almost anyway." Archer nods and scoots back to the wall, and Trip settles himself between Archer's legs and leans back against his chest. His breath hitches when Archer licks his palm, and he can't help groaning when Archer's hand closes around him.

"Okay so far?" Archer asks and Trip can hear the cocky laugh in his voice. That one time, years ago, when he'd finished sucking Archer off he'd fallen asleep and Trip had had to take care of himself. He'd spent so long imagining what it would be like to have Archer touching him and even though he hasn't thought about it in years, even though he knows Archer would rather not be doing this, there is something deeply gratifying about finally knowing what Archer's hand feels like on his dick.

"You're off to a great start," Trip replies, leaning his head back as Archer begins to stroke him. He starts off slowly; Trip's dick is a little wider than Archer's, and he's clearly feeling his way around the differences and trying to adjust his grip to compensate. Pretty soon, though, Archer gets his rhythm, stopping to wet his palm again every so often. His stroke is different than what Trip uses for himself, more focused at the head and a little tighter and faster. It's more intense, a little too intense. "Could you slow down just a little bit?" Trip asks, breathing rapidly. Archer slows down, and Trip relaxes a little bit. "Yeah, that-- that's good," he breathes; it _is_ good, it feels really good, and when Archer starts rubbing his thumb over the slit every couple strokes Trip bites his lip and starts breathing even faster.

Archer's other hand comes down to tentatively rest on his thigh, and then slide lower to cradle Trip's balls. The thought of Archer doing this for himself -- alone in his quarters, one hand on his dick and the other on his balls, with those flushed cheeks and parted lips is hot enough to push Trip right up to the edge. "Fuck," he breathes, "Don't stop, I'm gonna come, just a little faster--" and Archer tightens his grip and speeds it up just right, just enough to push him over the edge.

It takes a minute to catch his breath, and to realize he's resting his entire body weight against Archer's chest and it's probably pretty uncomfortable. Trip sits up and gives Archer some space. "For a first time hand job that was pretty damn good," he says. Archer chuckles.

"Yeah, well, I get a lot of practice all these nights alone, right?"

"We all do, Captain," Trip says as he cleans himself up and starts getting dressed. "We all do. Are you going to report back to Phlox and let him know you've taken his advice?"

Archer laughs. "I think we'll keep this one just between you and me."

Eight years ago his heart would have been aching for more, but now Trip finds only a sense of closure and satisfaction. It's a little bit of a surprise to find that in fact, it doesn't hurt at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for [sinope](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sinope) for providing invaluable information about hand jobs, tumblr user getintherobot for beta, and [quigonejinn](http://archiveofourown.org/users/quigonejinn) for helping me with the ending!


End file.
